This invention relates to a shield to protect the face, especially from spattered fluids.
Liquids often spatter and come in contact with the face. While painting a ceiling, for example, a painter often finds that his face is flecked with spattered paint. During medical procedures, medical personnel are often subject to blood and other bodily fluids coming into contact with the face. Such contact is dangerous because of the potential presence of the deadly AIDS virus or other harmful pathogens.
FIG. 1 is a prior art face shield distributed by the Safe-T-Face Corporation of Beverly Hills, Calif. With reference to FIG. 1, a prior art disposable face shield 10 includes a transparent member 12 affixed to a cardboard framework 14 which folds flat for shipment and which expands to the configuration shown in FIG. 1 when worn by a person whose face is to be protected. The shield 10 is secured to a wearer (not shown) by an elastic band 16. Importantly, when worn the cardboard framework 14, which supports the transparent member 12 away from the face, creates a large gap 18 between a wearer's forehead and the front of the transparent member 12. Thus, spatters can travel through the wide gap 18 and land on the wearer's face. That is to say, the prior art face shield 10 will afford protection only from fluid spatters approaching the face from the front. On the other hand, spatters approaching the top of the head will readily pass through the gap 18 and land on the wearer's face.